Reuters
source: reuters
Baby Yoda brought crowds to movie theaters over the U.S. Memorial Day weekend, putting “Star Wars” film “The Mandalorian and Grogu” on track to collect roughly $165 million around the globe, distributor Walt Disney (DIS.N), opens new tab said on Sunday.
The movie topped box office charts in the United States and Canada, where it was expected to bring in about $102 million. That would edge above pre-weekend forecasts for Friday through Monday but rank as the smallest opening for any “Star Wars” film under Disney.
The new film cost much less to make than other “Star Wars” installments, setting a lower bar for profitability.
“Mandalorian and Grogu,” the first “Star Wars” movie in seven years, tells the story of a helmeted bounty hunter (Pedro Pascal) and his small, green sidekick nicknamed Baby Yoda. The duo debuted on television in the Disney+ streaming series “The Mandalorian” in 2019 and made Baby Yoda a pop culture sensation.
Putting the character on the big screen will help jump-start sales of Grogu toys and T-shirts, said Jeff Bock, senior box office analyst at Exhibitor Relations Co. More than 13 million Grogu toys were sold in the first two years after the TV series debuted.
